in the presence of a wheelchair-bound war hero, 89-year-old former senator bob dole, members gathered, hoping to ratify a united nations treaty that's based entirely on the americans with disabilities act. it would ensure that people with disabilities are granted the same general rights as anyone else. and it's a treaty that anyone with a modicom of sense and civic fairness would find impossible to oppose, as senator john kerry explained. >> bob dole, why is he here? he's not here because he's here to advocate for the united nations. he is here because he wants to know that other countries will come to treat the disabled the way we do. >> yet incredibly, republican[ç refused to support the treaty. the measure, which required a two-thirds majority failed by a vote of 61-38. it was a shameful episode as senate majority leader made clear after the vote was taken. it's a sad day, said harry reid, when we cannot pass a treaty that simply brings the world up to the american standard for protecting people with disabilities because the republican party is enthralled to extremists and idealog